Dive Review of Whaleshark n dive in
Australia/Ningaloo Reef

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Whaleshark n dive , Jun, 2011, by Angela Gostling, London, GB ( 2 reports). Report 6116.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We undertook a lot of research before committing ourselves to the trip in terms of timing and water conditions. We were travelling in the whaleshark season and optimised the timing to enhance our chances of also seeing humpback whales, spinner dolphins and manta rays. Unfortunately when we arrived in Exmouth the conditions were unusually windy and boats were not out whale watching. We were afraid that our live-aboard would be cancelled. The dive team did their best - although we noticed that they did not check our c-cards. We had already submitted our diving experience by e-mail. Well the dive team did everything they could to get us diving but weather conditions meant that we could not visit the best sites and spotter plans for whalesharks were unable to see the creatures. The windy conditions brought the surface temperature down significantly - from about 26 degrees celsius to more like 21 degrees, with water temperatures at around 24 degrees. Yes, I admit to being a wimp but despite wearing a skin and full 5mm wetsuit after 15 minutes in the water I was chilly and getting back out again after the dive was unbearably chilling, so that I couldn't dive more than a couple of times each day. Other less wimpy divers were not deterred by this - or didn't feel it quite as much - and managed three day dives and a night dive too. The windy conditions were whipping up the water, so the visibility wasn't great, but we expected this - well it was the whaleshark and manta season, so we anticipated plankton anyway. So we didn't get to see whalesharks or mantas but did see some humpbacks when on the surface. However, we did see the most enormous turtles and some fascinating sea snakes - as well as the usual suspects but not a lot of them. I'm sure we didn't see Ningaloo at its best because of the weather conditions and the whaleshark season is in the Australian winter but apparently the windy conditions were extraordinary and there were far fewer whaleshark sitings than usual.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Caymans, Bonaire, BVI, Kenya, Maldives, Thailand & Burma, Cozumel, Bahamas, Indonesia, Fiji, Galapagos, Palau, Truk, Red Sea, Zante, Cyprus, PNG, Solomons, Mauritius, Comores, Belize, Turks & Caicos, Kona, Oman.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	windy	Seas	choppy, surge
Water Temp	24-25°C / 75-77°F	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	5-15 M / 16-49 Ft
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Policy was to dive with the guide. Sites were not deeper than 30m.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	> 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Not that sort of dive operation.

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Dive Review of Whaleshark n dive in Australia/Ningaloo Reef

Whaleshark n dive , Jun, 2011,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Whaleshark n dive in
Australia/Ningaloo Reef